Vehicle mounted pile driver with adjustable hammer guide



Jan. 23, 1968 J. R. JOHANSSON 3,365,004

VEHICLE MOUNTED FILE DRIVER WITH ADJUSTABLE HAMMER GUIDE Filed April 11, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR Jan. 23, 1968 J R. JOHANSSON 3,365,004

VEHICLE MOUNTED FILE DRIVEE-I WITH ADJUSTABLE HAMMER GUIDE Filed April 11, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2;

F ig3 1968 J. R. JOHANSSON 3,3 0

VEHICLE MOUNTED PILE DRIVER WITH ADJUSTABLE HAMMER GUIDE Filed April 11, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet Fig. 4 23 g/NVEN TOR W I @"i p United States Patent Otlice 3,355,9fl4 Patented Jan, 23, 1968 3,365,004 VEHICLE MOUNTED PILE DRIVER WITH ADJUSTABLE HAMMER GUIDE John Ragnar J ohansson, Utlandagatan 29, Goteborg, Sweden Filed Apr. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 541,713 Claims priority, application Sweden, Apr. 26, 1965, 5,399/65 Claims. (Cl. 173-28) The present invention relates to such pile driving assemblies on a vehicle which have a body portion supporting a crane driver cab and preferably are rotatable about the vehicle chassis, said crane driver cab containing capstans for pulling home a hoisting rope for a pile driving drop hammer which is slidable upwards and downwards along a guide mounted on a mast, said mast being supported at its upper portion by two'stays, the lower ends of which are journalled to the body portion of the vehicle, to which portion also the lower portion of the mast. is journalled by means of a pivotable arm or the like arranged to be swung in a vertical plane, said mast also comprising a frame supporting the above-mentioned guide for the drop hammer and also for a helmet which might be disposed beneath said drop hammer, the frame being guided by a lower and an upper mast stand. Between the lower mast stand, which is hingedly connected'with the pivotally journalled arm and the mast frame is suitable mounted means, such as for example a hydraulic piston cylinder unit, for displacing the mast frame along the tower stand.

The invention is characterised in that the upper mast stand comprises two parallel slides which are movable relatively to the mast frame, each one of the slides being journalled to the upper end of its stay and also connected to the lower mast stand by means of an element permitting the slides to be individually or jointly displaced along the mast frame. Such an arrangement makes it possible to adjust and change the inclination of the mast as desired. The elements for displacement of the slides suitable consists of hydraulic piston-cylinder units to which pressure medium is supplied from the crane driver cab, in which case the adjustment of the mast can be conveniently performed by the crane driver from the crane driver cabin.

According to a further development of the inventive idea the lower mast stand is journalled, preferably by means of a ball joint, to the arm that is pivotably mounted on the vehicle body portion. By folding the arm inwards or unfolding it outwards it is then possible to change the inclination of the mast in a vertical plane which intersects perpendicularly the vertical plane in which the inclination of the mast can be changed by displacement of above-mentioned slides along the mast frame.

The invention will be described in detail in the following, reference being made to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an assembly in accordance with the invention, the mast being in pile driving position,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the mast framework proper,

FIG. 3 shows in unbroken lines a view similar to the one in FIG. 1 but with the mast having been moved further away from the crane driver cabin and in broken lines the mast in collapsed position, the drop hammer and the pad having been removed,

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the mast as seen from the left with relation to FIG. 1 and this figure shows the mast in unbroken lines in its vertical position and in broken lines in (excessively) inclined position, and

FIG. 5 shows on an enlarged scale a horizontal section through the mast on the line VV in FIG. 1.

According to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings the assembly comprises a track-lying vehicle to be propulsed by its own engine, which vehicle is provided at its chassis 1, with body portion 2 which is rotatably mounted about a vertical shaft and supports a crane driver cabin 3 housing at least two capstans 4, 5. One 5 of the capstans is used to hoist the drop hammer 6 of the pile driving assembly by means of a rope 7 travelling over a pulley 8 at the upper end of the mast 9.

The mast 9 consists of a mast frame 10 (FIG. 2) and a stand formed by two portions, viz. a lower stand portion 11 and an upper stand portion 12. The lower stand portion 11 is by means of a horizontal pivot shaft 13 connected with a cross piece 14. Through a pivot shaft 15, this cross piece is connected with the lower end of an arm 16, the upper end of which is journalled to a forwardly projecting support 18 on the vehicle body portion 2, by means of a transverse shaft 17. Between the support 18 and the lower end of the arm 16 there is mounted a hydraulic piston-cylinder 19, 20 for swinging the arm and thereby also the lower end of the mast 9.

The upper stand portion 12 consists of two sleeve-like slides 21, 22 which are separately displaceable along the rear edge 23 of the mast frame 10, said edge forming guides for said slides. Each sleeve 21, 22 is in turn formed by two sections 24, 25 which are hingedly interconnected by a transverse shaft 26 disposed at the rear edge of the mast 9. The upper end of the mast 9 is supported by means of two stays 27, 28 each one of which is connected at its upper end by means of a horizontal pivot shaft 29 with the upper section 24 of the slides 21 and 22, respectively. At the lower ends the stays 27, 28 are journalled to the vehicle body 2.

Also the mast frame 10 consists of two sections, viz. one upper 31 and one lower 32. The frame sections 31, 32 are interconnected by means of a horizontal pivot shaft 33 situated at the rear edge 23 of the frame. In order that the two frame sections 31, 32 be retained in each others extension, :1 locking sleeve 34 (not shown in FIG. 2) is provided and disposed in a way permitting it to be moved to a position exactly above the joint 35 between the frame sections, a position in which the sleeve can be securely fastened to the frame 10 (FIG. 1). The two frame sections 31, 32 are provided with a longitudinally extending guide 36 for the drop hammer 6 and the helmet 37 the latter being situated underneath the hammer and reposing during the pile driving activity on the head end of the pile 38 to be driven into the ground 39.

Between the lower mast portion 11 and a bracket 49 at the rear side of the lower frame section 32 there is situated a hydraulic piston-cylinder 41, 42 whereby vertical displacement of the frame 10 relatively to the stand portions 11, 12 is made possible. As is apparent from FIG. 1 the frame 10 can be displaced in such a way that the lower end thereof rests on the ground 39 (which might be the bottom of a cavity 43 adjacent the vehicle chassis 1). The hydraulic. piston-cylinders 19, 20 permit adjustment of the mast 9 in a definite, desired inclined position in a vertical plane passing through the mast and the crane driver cabin 3, or in an exact vertical position.

Hydraulic piston-cylinders 44, 45 and 46, 47, respectively, are mounted between the lower stand portion 11 and the two slides 21, 22. These cylinders permit adjustment of the mast 9 in a certain desired inclined position laterally or also for adjustment into exact, vertical position.

If one wishes to move the mast 9 from the position shown in FIG. 4 in broken lines into an exactly vertical position (as shown in unbroken lines in the same figure) pressure medium (oil) is pressed into the lower end of the cylinder 45 and a corresponding amount of pressure medium is allowed to escape out of the cylinder 47-or, in case double-acting piston-cylinders are used-a corresponding amount of pressure medium is introduced at the upper end of the cylinder 47. The slide 21 is thereby d sp aced along the tower frame upwards and the cylinder 22 downwards, whereby the entire mast turns about the shaft 13. i

In case the mast 9 is to be moved from the position shown in FIG. 1 adjacent the crane driver cabin 3 to a position further away from said cabin (FIG. 3), pressure medium is pressed into the end of the cylinder 20 positioned adjacent the crane driver cab 3, whereby the'piston 19 swings the arm 16 in counter-clockwise direction, moving along with it the lower end of the tower, as well as into the upper end of the cylinders '45 and 47, whereupon the slides 21 and 22 are lowered along the mast frame 10 in such a way that the stays 27, 28 receive a more pronounced inclination forwards. By controlling the amount of pressure medium introduced into the different cylinders it is possible to adjust the mast into vertical position once the moving forward of the mast has been completed.

Furthermore, at the upper section 24 of the slides 21, 22 there are two cross bars 49 being pivotally mounted at their upper ends about horizontal pivots 48, each one of said bars having at its lower end a loop 50 or the like in each of which travels a rope 51 attached by its upper end to the slides 21 and 22, respectively, adjacent the joint 26. The lower ends of the ropes '51 are attached to a distance bar 53, to the center of which is secured a wire 54 arranged to be wound by the winch 4. These arrangements make the mast 9 collapsible whereby transport thereof is facilitated (see position in broken lines in FIG. 3).

The embodiment as shown and described is'chosen by way of example only, it being possible to modify the ditferent components of the pile driving assembly in several ways as regards their construction without departing from the scope of the appended claims. It is, for example, convenient to form the joint between the lower stand portion 11 and the arm 16 as a ball joint about which the mast can be adapted to pivot at its lower end into any desired, inclined position. The hydraulic piston-cylinder units 19, 20 and 41, 42 as well as 44, 45 and 46, 47 could be replaced by other means permitting displacement between the components concerned.

What I claim is:

1. In a pile driving apparatus on a vehicle, said vehicle having a chassis, a body portion with a crane cabin rotatable on said chassis, a capstan housed in said crane cabin, a drop hammer, said capstan adapted to pull in a hoisting cable for said hammer, said hammer displaceable up and down along a guide on a mast, said mast at its upper end I I r 4 v I J- supported by two stays, said stays at the lower ends'journalled to said body portion, an arm journalled tos'aid body portion to swing in a vertical plane, said mast being connected at its lower end to said arm, a frame comprised in said mast, said frame provided with said guide" for the said hammer, said guide also serving for guiding V a helmet situated beneath said drop'hammelrfan upper mast stand and a lowermast stand guiding said frame, a means arranged between said .upper and said lower mast stands and said frame for displacement of said' frame along the mast, said lower mast stand journalled to said swingable arm, said'upper mast stand comprising two parallel slides, said slides being displaceable in rel-ation to said frame, each of said slides journalled at the upper end to a stay and also connectedto thesaid ldwer mast stand by means of an element, said element'rendefi ing it possible to displace said slides separately or jointlyl 2. A pile driving apparatus as claimed inclaim 1, in which said lower-mast stand' is jou-rnalled to said arm in a way to permit said mast to be adjusted in any-direc tion with regard to its inclination in relation tothe vertical line. 3. A pile driving apparatus as claimed in claim which said lower mast stand is journa'lled, by means of a ball joint, to said arm in a way to permit said mast to be adjusted in any direction with regard to its inclination in relation to the vertical line.

4. A pile driving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which each slide comprises two hingedly interconnected slide portions arranged on the top of each other, the upper one of said slide portions connected with its stay and the lower one connected to said lower mast stand by means'of a hydraulic piston-cylinder unit permitting a displacement of said two slides individually along said frame.

5. A pile driving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which each slide comprises two'hingedly interconnected slide portions arranged on the top of each other, the upperone of said slide portions connected with its stay and the lower one connected to said lower mast stand by means of a hydraulic piston-cylinder unit permitting a displacement.

of said two slides jointly along said frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 911,574 2/ 1909 Crosby 173-43 2,096,943 10/1937 Templeton 173-j-43 3,035,646 5/ 1962 Johansson 173-43 3,312,291 4/1967 Haug 173-43 X 3,322,378 5/1967 Thompson 173- 43 X,

ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A PILE DRIVING APPARATUS ON A VEHICLE, SAID VEHICLE HAVING A CHASSIS, A BODY PORTION WITH A CRANE CABIN ROTATABLE ON SAID CHASSIS, A CAPSTAN HOUSED IN SAID CRANE CABIN, A DROP HAMMER, SAID CAPSTAN ADAPTED TO PULL IN A HOISTING CABLE FOR SAID HAMMER, SAID HAMMER DISPLACEABLE UP AND DOWN ALONG A GUIDE ON A MAST, SAID MAST AT ITS UPPER END SUPPORTED BY TWO STAYS, SAID STAYS AT THE LOWER ENDS ENDS JOURNALLED TO SAID BODY PORTION, AN ARM JOURNALLED TO SAID BODY PORTION TO SWING IN A VERTICAL PLANE, SAID MAST BEING CONNECTED AT ITS LOWER END TO SAID ARM, A FRAME COMPRISED IN SAID MAST, SAID FRAME PROVIDED WITH SAID GUIDE FOR THE SAID HAMMER, SAID GUIDE ALSO SERVING FOR GUIDING A HELMET SITUATED BENEATH SAID DROP HAMMER, AN UPPER MAST STAND AND A LOWER MAST STAND GUIDING SAID FRAME, A MEANS ARRANGED BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND SAID LOWER MAST STANDS AND SAID FRAME FOR DISPLACEMENT OF SAID FRAME ALONG THE MAST, SAID LOWER MAST STAND JOURNALLED TO SAID SWINGABLE ARM, SAID UPPER MAST STAND COMPRISING TWO PARALLEL SLIDES, SAID SLIDES BEING DISPLACEABLE IN RELATION TO SAID FRAME, EACH OF SAID SLIDES JOURNALLED AT THE 